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Copper Tellurium Razor Possible Toxicity.

rhodes96

rhodes96

... is THE man!
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I have noticed the popularity of exotic metals being machined into razors lately.
After a little research I may have stumbled upon a possible issue with copper razors being toxic to use. In order to machine copper, tellerium (Te) is added.
Tellerium is regarded as highly toxic if inhaled, swallowed, or absorbed through the skin. As a wet shaver the constant rubbing of this metal against my skin and constant gripping of the handle could potentially pose a health issue.

I have also noticed some razor manufacturers such as ATT have removed their copper tellurium razors from sale, and won't be manufacturing with that metal again. I see others still selling and others about to release copper razors.

Interested to hear others thoughts on the subject.
 
Although not 100% sure about this special alloy (paging @TomG), my usual answer to these questions:

Hydrogen (H2) is highly combustible - yet you consist of more than 70% H2O (water) and need it to sustain life

Na (sodium) is highly flammable when it comes into contact with water, yet NaCl (table salt) is...

I hope you get my point. Elements on their own have often very different physical, chemical and biological characteristics than when encountered in compounds, alloys etc
 
@rhodes96 as you're fully aware the Karve CB is planning to release their copper razor soon, why don't you ask them the question directly from Canada as you've already place your name on the list, IF, I'm not mistaken?
 
I'd be inclined to say a Te-Cu razor would most likely be safe enough. Te is added to assist machinability, but the total content is usually in the region of 0.5% w/w. Unless you're planning on machining your razor and inhaling the dust, you should be well within accepted safety limits. In a (say) 100g razor, you would have a total of 0.5g Te, most of which is not on the surface. Recommended exposure limits (from Wikipedia) are 0.1mg/m³ over 8 hours, which is much, much more than you could possibly absorb through your skin over the course of a shave.
 
1
SpeedyPC said:
@rhodes96 as you're fully aware the Karve CB is planning to release their copper razor soon, why don't you ask them the question directly from Canada as you've already place your name on the list, IF, I'm not mistaken?
Click to expand...

I haven't seen the subject brought up anywhere else so what better place to duscuss. There are some great minds on this forum with a wealth of life experience and metallurgical skills which I am far more interested to hear their thoughts than to send an email that will never be answered.
 
rhodes96 said:
I have noticed the popularity of exotic metals being machined into razors lately.
After a little research I may have stumbled upon a possible issue with copper razors being toxic to use. In order to machine copper, tellerium (Te) is added.
Tellerium is regarded as highly toxic if inhaled, swallowed, or absorbed through the skin. As a wet shaver the constant rubbing of this metal against my skin and constant gripping of the handle could potentially pose a health issue.

I have also noticed some razor manufacturers such as ATT have removed their copper tellurium razors from sale, and won't be manufacturing with that metal again. I see others still selling and others about to release copper razors.

Interested to hear others thoughts on the subject.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the heads up on this matter ;)
 
Everyone who uses a Karve Copper Razor will die.

[Note: correlation does not necessarily equate to causation]

Another helpful message for your from CBR ;)
 
alfredus said:
Although not 100% sure about this special alloy (paging @TomG), my usual answer to these questions:

Hydrogen (H2) is highly combustible - yet you consist of more than 70% H2O (water) and need it to sustain life

Na (sodium) is highly flammable when it comes into contact with water, yet NaCl (table salt) is...

I hope you get my point. Elements on their own have often very different physical, chemical and biological characteristics than when encountered in compounds, alloys etc
Click to expand...
I agree, in an alloy things are not as dangerous or toxic as they would be on their own. We are surrounded by toxic stuff, we eat drink and breath toxic stuff every day, even medications we use to keep us functioning normally will kill us at a higher dose. Breathing pure oxygen will kill you, drinking too much water will kill you, it's all about the percentage. There are plenty of machined brass parts in plumbing parts (yellow brass and red brass have copper in them), faucets, shutoff valves under your sink, gate valves in your water line, parts of your water heater etc., heck, driving a car is far the most dangerous thing people do, yet I'll bet you're not shaking in your boots every time you hop in a car.
 
alfredus said:
Although not 100% sure about this special alloy (paging @TomG), my usual answer to these questions:

Hydrogen (H2) is highly combustible - yet you consist of more than 70% H2O (water) and need it to sustain life

Na (sodium) is highly flammable when it comes into contact with water, yet NaCl (table salt) is...

I hope you get my point. Elements on their own have often very different physical, chemical and biological characteristics than when encountered in compounds, alloys etc
Click to expand...
Whilst I get the point you are trying to make your misuse of chemistry in this way hurts my brain.

Metals and metal alloys are different to the examples above. The examples are forms of covalent and ionic bonding where the sharing it gain/loss of electrons are involved at the atomic level. Metals and alloys (blend of mental) are more like a crystal or plum pudding.

I like the pudding analogy. All of the atoms and molecules are in their original, non-binded, structure and are mixed together in a matrix. For example, steel is a mixture of carbon, silica, manganese oxide, sulphur, phosphorous, etc in an iron dough.

The Cu/Te razor is an alloy, blend of metals, this may not eliminate the Te hazard (I have NFI) but as others have said unless you plan to store it on or in your person in close contact to moist skin it's probably safe. The amount of Te shed in a shave would be in the atomic range.

I have heard if cases of Cu toxicity from new home builds in Tas. Our mains water is very soft and can leach Cu from the pope's for upto 2 years until scale forms. Houses on rainwater it can continue indefinitely. The ADWG health limit for Cu is 2000mg/L at this level the water is distinctly blue and taste very metallic.
 
ABSTRACT. Tellurium is an element used in the vulcanization of rubber and in metal-oxidizing solutions to blacken or tarnish metals. Descriptions of human toxicity from tellurium ingestion are rare. We report the clinical course of 2 children who ingested metal-oxidizing solutions containing substantial concentrations of tellurium. Clinical features included vomiting, black discoloration of the oral mucosa, and a garlic odor to the breath. One patient developed corrosive injury to the esophagus secondary to the high concentration of hydrochloric acid in the solution. Both patients recovered without serious sequelae, which is typical of tellurium toxicity. An awareness of situations in which children may be exposed to tellurium and its clinical presentation may assist clinicians in the diagnosis of this rare poisoning. Pediatrics 2005;116:e319–e321. URL: www.pediatrics.org/ cgi/doi/10.1542/peds.2005-0172; tellurium, child, poisoning, metals, garlic

Tellurium is a naturally occurring element found most commonly as a byproduct from the electrolytic refining of copper. Its main uses are in the vulcanization of rubber (in which it increases resistance to heat, abrasion, and aging) and in alloys of copper, steel, lead, and bronze (by making them more resistant to corrosion). In addition, tellurium is used in metal-oxidizing solutions to blacken or tarnish metals (eg, in jewelry manufacturing). Historically, tellurium was used in the treatment of syphilis and leprosy. Acute human ingestions of tellurium are rare. The majority of descriptions of toxicity from tellurium are either from intravenous or inhalational exposure.1–4 We present 2 cases of toxicity in young children from ingestion of metal-oxidizing solutions that contained substantial concentrations of tellurium.



"Many of the most prevalent metabolic dysfunctions of our time
are related in some way to a copper imbalance." ~ Dr. Paul Eck
What is Copper Toxicity? ...In Summary At a Glance:

  • Copper Toxicity is a build up of stored bio-unavailable copper in the body. The liver is the primary storage location. The brain, a secondary location.
  • Birth control pills, copper IUDs, vegetarian diets, copper piping, and estrogen are just some of the contributing factors that have made copper toxicity a growing epidemic.
  • Though copper is an essential mineral, not all copper is ‘safe’. Copper sulfate used on crops for example is a known toxin. "Excess copper is poisonous to all forms of life, and copper overloading is responsible for several human pathologic processes"[66]. “Copper becomes toxic when it accumulates in the body's tissues in excessive amounts” (Pfeiffer, 1975; 1987)
  • Copper offers many health benefits at a 'healthy' level, however rarely mentioned is that the benefits reverse with excess copper. Energy turns to fatigue. Cognitive clarity turns to brain fog. Fungal control turns to candida. Positive emotions turn to depression and apathy. Other common symptoms include racing mind, insomnia, thyroid hypo-function, burn-out, depression, panic attacks, even Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, and cancer [67] can all also be linked to copper toxicity.
  • The higher the degree of copper accumulation, the higher the degree of bioavailable deficiency.
  • As detox often brings to the surface some of the worst symptoms, detoxing excess copper needs to be done slow and gently to avoid anxiety, panic and other uncomfortable reactions.
  • Copper toxicity is one of the most widespread yet misunderstood epidemics of our time, and is a major factor in many of today's most prevalent conditions. It should therefore be a key route of investigation for any of the above mentioned symptoms.
 
glenos said:
I have heard if cases of Cu toxicity from new home builds in Tas. Our mains water is very soft and can leach Cu from the pope's for upto 2 years until scale forms. Houses on rainwater it can continue indefinitely. The ADWG health limit for Cu is 2000mg/L at this level the water is distinctly blue and taste very metallic.
Click to expand...
I wonder how many new builds actually use Cu pipes anymore. Ours are all plastic, except on the hot water cylinder.
 
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